Homahota Love, Iksa Incunnomar

Lots of variations on her name, including Emahota, Mahota, Mehota, Homahota, Mehotey, & Homahoti. Apparently there is lots of confusion over Thomas Love's spouse(s). One online source said Homahota was the second wife of Thomas Love. Also from online info: "In his later years, Thomas Love resided at Holly Springs, near Martyn Mission, Mississpii, with his second wife, where some of their children were born. She was a young woman not much older than his eldest children by his first wife. Her name was Ho-Ma-Ho-Ta, half French half Chickasaw of the house of I-Tok-Alba.

"Homahota, the second wife of Thomas Love, was called Mehotey, Homahoti, and in her late life even granny Ho-Ti. Although Mehota is on her tombstone, I prefer to use Homahota. Mr. E. T. Winston suggested that she may have descended from a French Nancy, because she named her first daughter Nancy Mahota....

The disposition of the lands in Mississippi is too involved to discuss here. The half-breeds, which included the Loves, figured prominently in the business of allotments, sales, etc. All the allotments for single adults were called "floating claims," and Homahota was one of those who had such land dealings. In the summer and early fall of 1844, the US Government deeded her land in sections 15 and 22, 7 south, 5 west, in Lafayette Co., Miss. By Oct. 18, 1844 she had disposed of it to non-Indians..... during November 1844, she and her son William Love started west in George Colbert's party, seven years after the authorized removal. Her children and step-children were scattered, living in the Choctaw and the Chickasaw nations. Homahota spent her last days in Love county, near her son Robert H. Love and her daughter Sally Gaines. I understand that she died at Sally's home. A few persons living in 1939 remembered her. She was a large, heavy set woman, and was called Granny Ho-Ti by her grandchildren.

Mahotah, who lived a remarkable life, was Thomas Love's second wife. Ho-ma-ho-ta, considered to be an "almost" full-blood Chickasaw woman, wasn't much older than his oldest children by his first wife. She was part French but mostly Chickasaw of the house of I-Tok-Alba. She has also been referred to as Homahota.

In Thomas's later years he & Mehota (also known as Homahota) resided at Holly Springs, near Martyn Mission, where some of their children were born.

Thomas died in 1832 in Holly Springs, Marshall Co, MS near Martyn Mission and was buried in a small cemetery nearby. No reference to the cemetery can be found today.

The removal of the Chickasaws was done with much less discomfort than that of other tribes. They were the wealthiest and removed in groups from 1836 through 1840. Many of the Loves did not come at the time of the general removal. They presented claims of self-emigration, took time to dispose of their possessions, and made their transfer to the new country at their own convenience.

In the summer and early fall of 1844, the US Government deeded Homahota land in sections 15 and 22, 7 south, 5 west, in Lafayette Co, MS.

By Oct. 18, 1844 she had disposed of it to non-Indians. Homahota, a self-immigrant, went West in November 1844 in a party headed by her son-in-law, Samuel A. Colbert, husband of Lucina Love.

Her children and step-children were scattered, living in the Choctaw and the Chickasaw nations. She continued west and lived with her children in Pickens County, I.T.

Some children who accompanied Mehota (Homahota) on her journey included her son, Robert H. Love, and daughters, Sallie Love Gaines and Nancy Mahota Love Boyd.

Homahota spent her last days in Love county, near her son Robert and daughter, Sally Gaines, dying in Sally's home.

The following article provides a brief glimpse into her live.

Ardmore Daily Ardmoreite Sunday, January 21, 1968 "LOVE FAMILY PROMINENT NAME IS GIVEN TO COUNTY Some History of Early Days The Love family, for which Love County was name, extends back to Revolutionary War days and was prominent in affairs of Pickens County of the Chickasaw Nation in Indian Territory days.

The following account of the Love family, and the related Boyd family, was prepared by Mrs. Marie King Garland, formerly of Oklahoma City and now again living in Ardmore. She is one of the daughters of the pioneer Felix J. King family of Gene Autry and Ardmore.

Mrs. Garland is working on other writings, possibly a book on early days in the Chickasaw Nation, and I hope she comes through with a lot of history and lore such as this. Our thanks to her in advance for this interesting story:

During the American Revolution, Thomas Love, the Loyalist, fled to the friendly Chickasaws and married into that tribe. At the time of the removal, which began in the 1830's, his children and second wife came west, settling in various parts of the new Indian Territory.

In the town of Burneyville is a family graveyard with one stone bearing this inscription: 'FAREWELL MEHOTA LOVE Died Sept. 25, 1873 Age 82 years.'

Mehota (Ho-ma-ho-ta), the second wife of Thomas Love, was affectionately called 'Granny Hoti.'

Many Chickasaws self-immigrated their families, and Homahota came West in 1844 in a party headed by her son-in-law, Samuel A. Colbert, husband of Lucina Love.

The Colberts remained and died at Old Nelson, near Antlers in the Choctaw Nation, but Homahota continued westward and lived with her children who resided in Pickens County.

They were Robert H. Love and daughters, Sallie Love Gaines and Nancy Mahota Love Boyd.

When the inundation took place at the building of the Denison Dam, Nancy Boyd's remains were removed from a plot on Red River to the cemetery at Powell, where the marker is today.

When Oklahoma became a state, part of Pickens County, Chickasaw Nation, was carved to form a new county, Love County, in honor of this prominent Love family. ..."

A few people living in 1939 remembered Mahota (Homahota) as as being a large, heavy set woman, called Granny Ho-Ti by her grandchildren.

Researched and compiled by Virginia Brown April 2015

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Mar 7 2018, 1:54:40 UTC